Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Kali
“W–We didn’t know she was your mate, Alpha,” a warrior stammers from above, his voice shaking. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had pissed his pants. “It was Commander Gideon’s order-”
Alpha? As in Alpha Jack?
Another growl rumbles through the air, shaking the very ground beneath me. This one is even more feral. “How dare he? I don’t give a damn if he’s my cousin. No one disobeys me. I’ll make an example out of him. Go get him.”
The sound of hurried footsteps scrambling away fills the air. Darkness presses in around me, heavy and suffocating, the kind that makes you feel like you’re drowning with your eyes wide open.
Then, a voice–deep, authoritative, laced with something dangerously soft–calls down to me.
“Mate, are you hurt?”
The way he says it–as if he would burn the world down for me, like I’m something fragile, something precious–makes my heart stutter. He sounds so… different. So unlike Travis.
Maybe the Moon Goddess didn’t make a mistake this time.
For a second, the thought of having a second–chance mate isn’t as horrifying as I once believed.
“I’ll get you out of there. Now.”
I strain my eyes, but I can’t see his face. He’s too high up. But just his voice alone is enough to make my heart race. My wolf whimpers in longing, pushing against me, wanting to be near him.
“Take my hand, mate.”
The moment he says it, my body tenses. No. No physical interaction.If I touch him, the bond will snap into place, and rejecting him will be even harder if he turns out to be a monster. I won’t make such a dangerous mistake.
“No.” I force coldness into my voice. “Get me a rope. I’ll climb out myself–and I’ll bring this man with me.”
Silence. A thick, heavy silence that makes my skin prickle. I swallow hard, wondering if he even heard me. I open my mouth to repeat myself when-
A low, menacing growl shakes the pit. “Take. My. Hand.”
I stiffen at the possessiveness in his tone. Arrogant. Commanding. He’s not just anyone–he’s definitely an Alpha. My blood runs cold.
Could it really be… Alpha Jack? The ruthless leader of the Blood Fang Pack?
No. No, the Moon Goddess wouldn’t be that cruel.
I shove the thought away, gritting my teeth. “Unless you get me a rope so I can get both of us out, I’m not coming up.” I hesitate, glancing at the man beside me. He’s barely breathing. Why do I even care? Maybe because I know what it feels like–to be abandoned, to rot away while everyone watches.
I refuse to let that happen to him.
“He’s dying,” I say softly, desperation seeping into my voice. “He won’t last long down here. You can’t just leave him–”
“Then wait until he dies before you come out.”
His voice is indifferent, cold and merciless, like he’s discussing the weather. “By the looks of it, he’ll last two hours at best. Get comfortable in the black
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Chapter 11
hole, mate.”
Shock slams into me. My jaw clenches as I glare up at the unseen figure. “How can you be so heartless?”
“That man is a traitor. He was sentenced to death. And mate” his tone shifts, dark amusement lacing his words “-didn’t anyone teach you not to talk back to your mate?”
“So I ended up with another arrogant bastard as a mate, Just my luck.”
Imutter the words under my breath, cursing myself for ever thinking–even for a second–that he might be different. My chest tightens with bitter disappointment.
For a moment, I had dared to hope.
I had dared to believe I could have something good.
Stupid.
*T’ll say it again–1 won’t forsake this man. If you refuse to help, then leave me be.” I bite out.
Silence. Then, a rustling above. A moment later, a rope drops down.
I don’t hesitate. Quickly, I tie it around the man’s frail body, securing him to my waist, and give a sharp tug. The rope tightens as someone hauls us up. The climb is rough, my muscles screaming in protest, but I grit my teeth and push through.
As soon as we reach the surface, hands grab the man, laying him on the ground. He groans–still alive. Relief floods me.
1 suck in a breath, turning to thank whoever helped me–but the second I look up, all the air leaves my lungs.
Towering over me is the most stunning man I’ve ever seen.
Tall and powerful, his presence is almost suffocating. His sharp jawline and midnight–black hair make him look like he was sculpted by the gods. His piercing silver eyes hold an intensity that makes my knees weak. But what’s even more shocking is the way he’s staring at me–not with lust, not like I’m some prize to be claimed, but with something darker, something unreadable that makes my stomach flip.
I barely register the way my own eyes widen as I take him in. His lips twitch, amusement flickering in his gaze.
“Are you done ogling, mate?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks.
“Now that I’ve granted your wish and saved that traitor, it’s time for you to repay me.” His silver eyes darken. “I don’t go back on my word, mate. When I sentence someone to death, they die. You made me break that rule.” He steps closer, the air between us crackling with tension. “So tell me, mate, how do you plan to repay me?”
I narrow my eyes at him. He looms over me, his sheer size nearly overwhelming, but even as my heart pounds against my ribs, I refuse to let him see a flicker of fear.
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